The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is urging members of the public not to interfere with firefighting activity after a season of interruptions at the Kamloops Fire Centre.
In a post to social media Wednesday, the service says “there have been several incidents in which fire suppression activities were halted due to interference by members of the public” in the region.
“[We’re] just asking the public to be really cautious and diligent about their activities and what they’re doing when they are around a wildfire area and making sure that they’re giving our staff the appropriate space to be able to operate and suppress the fire,” Taylor Wallace, an information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre, told 1130 NewsRadio.
BCWS says it may consider implementing backcountry area restrictions if people don’t stop certain behaviors. Those include:
- Entering an active fire area, forcing helicopters that were providing bucketing support to temporarily cease operations;
- Stopping along roadways near an active wildfire to observe fire activity or suppression efforts;
- Boaters failing to give helicopters and air tankers sufficient room to maneuver and operate safely when collecting water;
- Operating unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in active wildfire areas;
Wallace says those activities interfere with fire suppression and also put staff and members of the public at a safety risk.
“It can be very dangerous in the fire area, so just make sure that you’re giving our firefighters and staff all the appropriate space that they need to be able to work and operate safely.”
She says disruptive behaviour around wildfires isn’t anything new, but she adds that the reminder is important given that there are many weeks of the fire season still to come.
The service said, “We recognize that the vast majority of people in B.C. are mindful and respectful of suppression activities, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and support to help keep all of us safe this summer.”